Spring suspension



Filed July 17. 1923 Patented Nov. 3, 1925,

UNITED STATES HINSDALE SMITH, OF SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS.

SPRING sUsPENsIoN.

Application filed July 17', 1923. Serial No. 652,019.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, I'TINSDALE SMITH, a citizen of the United States, andresident of Springfield, in the county of I-Iampden and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Spring Suspensions, of which the following is a specification. p

This invention relatesto spring suspension shackle bolts of. the general type em-' ployed on motor vehicles for attaching leaf springs to the vehicle body.

The invention has for its main object the provision of spring shackle bolts of the character described of simple and inexpensive construction.

Another object relates to the provision of a spring suspension having no need for lubricants such as oil or grease and requiring a minimum of attention. In accordance with this object a shackle bolt of SOllCl construction is provided thus reducing costs and increasing strength.

Another object relates to the use of antifriction bushing material held in place by a wedge-shaped member, both being held in place by the supported spring leaf.

Another object relates to the provision of a single locking means for clampingportions of the spring leaf together and for locking the wedge-shaped member in place.

Various other objects and advantages of the invention will be in part obvious from an inspection of the accompanying drawings and in part will be'more fully set forth in the following particular description of one form of mechanism embodying my lDVGlL. tion, and the invention also consists in certain new and novel features of construction and combination of parts hereinafter set forth and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 shows a side elevation of a portion of a vehicle body supported on a leaf spring and secured thereto by a spring sus pension of the present invention;

Figure 2 shows an enlarged perspective and Figure 3 a section of one form of the invention;

Figure at is a side elevation of a modified form;

Figure 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of Figure 4;

Figures 6 and 7 are perspective views of the wedges of Figures 2 and 4, respectively; and

Figure 8 is a perspective view of a modified form of wedge.

Like reference characters refer to like parts in the several figures.

Referring to the drawing there is shown a portion of a vehicle body 20 having down- ,wa-rdly extending metal plates, such as 21, riveted thereto. The body 20 is supported upon a leaf spring attached to thevehicle axle (not shown) in any suitable manner. A spring clip 23 of conventional design may be provided for maintaining the leaves substantially together.

The upper leaf 25 of the group of spring leaves is bent around through nearly a complete arc and then in a reverse arc and into spaced parallel relation to the general plane of itself. The first named are is concentric with a solid shackle bolt 26 extending through the eye of the leaf 25 thus formed and through the plates 21, 21. The bolt 26 is preferably castellated or otherwise constructed to be secured in position. 1

For cushioning the vibrations of the bolt 26 and the spring eye the shank of the bolt 26 is enclosed within a tube or sleeve 30 of anti-friction material, such as brake lining orthe like. A wedge 31 of generally triangular section, of a length substantially equalto the width of the spring leaf 25, and having one surface chamfered to correspond to the shape of the sleeve 30, is provided as shown clearly in Figure 2. A detailed view of the wedge, which may be of any suitable metal or anti-friction alloy, is shown in Figure 2. Abolt 33 extending through oppositely disposed holes in the spaced parallel portions of the leaf 25', is

provided, and by turning down the nut of this bolt the tension of the eye portion of the leaf may be varied. Thus considerable compression pressure may be applied to the sleeve 30, for eli'ectively maintaining it as well as the wedge 31 in position.

The device maybe assembled by placing the sleeve 30 and the wedge 31 in their predetermined position in the eye, placing the spring leaf in position opposite the plate 21 which is drilled for the reception of the shank of the bolt 26. The bolt 26 is then passed through and its castellated nut applied together with a fastening, such as a cotter pin (not shown). The bolt 33 is then applied as has been described.

Under some conditions there may be some chance for the wedge 31 to slip out and be In the-saidomodifietbtorm the bolt en gages a notchin the wedge .131 and thus locks the wedge against appreciable move- -n'1ent. The same-member clamps portions of the spring leaf together. Thus the'bolt I 33 serves a double purpose.

The zmodified .Ztorm of wedge 23l shown inF-igure 8-is snmlar to the wedge 131*but thettlange of: the wedge 131JSP1'1111111HTPC1.

. The wedge 23l .isparticularly well adapted for certain types ofinotor vehicles.

While I have shown and described and have pointed out in the annexed claims certain novel features of myinvention, it will beunderstood that various omissions, sul stitutions and changes inthe form and details of the device illustrated and in its operationmay be made-bythose skilled in the :art without departing $117111 the spirit of my. invention.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. The combination of ashackle bolt, and a sleeve of anti-friction fabric surrounding the shankot'the bolt, with aspringleaf bent through nearly a complete are around said sleeveland thenimto spaced parallelrelationship *to the general plane of itself, and a wedge member in contact with only substantiallyrthat portion of the bushing which is coextensive with the remaining portion of the-arc,- and actuated by movementof said spring leaf.

2. The combination of a shackle bolt, and a sleeve of anti triction tabric surrounding the shank of the bolt, with :a spring leaf bent through inearly a complete are around said sleeve and then into spaced parallel relat onship to the general plane of itself, a

wedge inemberin contact with onlysubstantially that portion of the bushing which is coextensiveuvith the remaining portion of the arc and actuated by relative movement 'ot'--=portions of said spring leaf, and a bolt for varying the tension of the eye portion of the spring leaf.

3. The combination of a shackle bolt, and a sleeve of anti-friction fabric surrounding the shank ot the bolt with a springleat bent through nearly a con'iplete are around said sleeve and then into spaced pzu'allel relationship to the general plane of itself, a

wedge member in contact with only substantially that portion of the bushing which is coextensive wlth the rei'nainin'g portionot the arc and actuated by relative movement otportions otlsaid spring leaf and a bolt tor applying compression pressure to said sleeve.

4. The combination of a shackle bolt, and a sleeve of anti-friction tabrie surrounding the shank of the'bolt, with a spring leafbent through nearly a (OlllPlGiiGhIC around said sleeve and then into spaced parallel-relationship to the general plane of itself, a notched wedge member constructed to fillup theremaining portionot the arc a n'd a bolt "for clamping-the spaced parallel portions otthe spring leaf together, and 'for'engagin'gthe notch of said wedge member to mainta'iirthe wedge in predetermined position.

The combination of an adjustable spring eye, a flexible anti-friction bushing surrounding a shackle bolt within said spring eye, and a wedge arrangedtolmain- =tain said bushing in substantially circular shape, comprising a member of" substantially triangular cross sect10n,'hav1ng a surface contactlng with a limited portion of the peripheral surface of sai'dbushing.

Signed at Springfield, in the county of Hampden and State of Massach'i isetts,"this "10th day o tlluly A. 'D; 1923.

'nmsnans snrrn. 

